Strange Mahi Meat

[splitshot-bk]

I recently caught a few nice gaffer mahi and one of them had what looked like a small wahoo or shark bite taken out of it on the ridge of its back. It didn't look like a fatal wound at all but a "divot" none the less.

The meat of the fish was less firm and slightly yellowish. The meat was also less dense and almost Jello like. I cooked it up and tasted a small bite and it didn't taste foul but definitely different. It was much sweeter almost like crab meat. I've seen my fair share of mahi and never seen anything like this and I'm wondering if it's safe to eat or if I'd be better off not eating it. I hate to waste it but at the same time don't want to get sick etc.

Anyone ever seen mahi meat like this?

[KAISER]

Have not seen thatbut if you dont keep mahi cold it spoils very easly and if you dont bleed it it spoils even faster. Sort of a no brainer with all fish but I have found mahi is really quick to spoil.

If you have ever been sick fromm seafood my guess is you would not have taken that bite

[splitshot-bk]

Have not seen thatbut if you dont keep mahi cold it spoils very easly and if you dont bleed it it spoils even faster. Sort of a no brainer with all fish but I have found mahi is really quick to spoil.

If you have ever been sick fromm seafood my guess is you would not have taken that bite

No but I did get food poisoning once from a buffet restaurant. Worst night of my life almost certainly.

It's really weird though, it doesn't seem rotten its just very "jiggly", less dense and sweet smelling and tastes like crab or something. It would be like cooking a piece of chicken and having it taste like a steak - it's not like it's bad, it's just not right?

After cooking it it just wouldn't firm up either? I hate wasting fish but I'd rather be wrong than risk spending a day on the crapper hating life. I think I'm going to feed the crabs with the odd stuff and see how they do?

[gottaflylee]

I have seen similar before. Some looked like they were stuck with a bill and would find a small piece of it when the fish was cleaned. As a rule, the meat form these fish were more white, not as red as normal nor did it taste as good.

I have also seen Spanish Mackerel that had white meat and they tasted awful.

[Deep C]

We catch a lot of fish in the Chub Cay pocket with wounds like you describe. First couple times I thought they were bill scars from marlin then learned they are from cookie cutter sharks...
The flesh surrounding the wounds is bound to be different from disrupted blood flow, exposure to salt water, stages of scarring process and possibly some infection. Nothing to worry about as such. I cut around odd meat much the same as a gaff hole...

[seavee32]

I caught one just like that in Chub also. It was a 36 lb bull that ate on the flat line and never really fought hard. It just kind of laid back there. I think it had two of the cookie cutter wounds if I remember right. I noticed the difference right away in the meat when I cleaned it. It seemed like the whole fish was like that from what I remember...not just right around the wound. Anyway, I wasn't sure about eating it but the locals were glad to take it. It was much whiter, softer and a tad slimy.

[scattered_grass]

I seem to remember cleaning one a few years back, that had a patch of discolored meat on the top of the back, can't remember if there was a wound or not though. It was small enough just to cut it out and save the rest.

Off Topic, but we fried up some roe we got out of a couple cows the other weekend and it was absolutely de-lish! Not going to be tossing those big orange sacs overboard anymore

[raynman]

I recently caught a few nice gaffer mahi and one of them had what looked like a small wahoo or shark bite taken out of it on the ridge of its back. It didn't look like a fatal wound at all but a "divot" none the less.

The meat of the fish was less firm and slightly yellowish. The meat was also less dense and almost Jello like. I cooked it up and tasted a small bite and it didn't taste foul but definitely different. It was much sweeter almost like crab meat. I've seen my fair share of mahi and never seen anything like this and I'm wondering if it's safe to eat or if I'd be better off not eating it. I hate to waste it but at the same time don't want to get sick etc.

Anyone ever seen mahi meat like this?

cookie cutter shark on the bite. You said jello consistyency?...Sorry F*k it & Chuck it

[raynman]

I caught one just like that in Chub also. It was a 36 lb bull that ate on the flat line and never really fought hard. It just kind of laid back there. I think it had two of the cookie cutter wounds if I remember right. I noticed the difference right away in the meat when I cleaned it. It seemed like the whole fish was like that from what I remember...not just right around the wound. Anyway, I wasn't sure about eating it but the locals were glad to take it. It was much whiter, softer and a tad slimy.

Hey, the locals take anything & everything!!! - u knoiw thgat seavbee...

[Captain Fred Archer]

Seen my share of cookie cutter bites, fresh ones and scars from old ones on several species of fish. As with some others here, we merely cut around them and used the rest of the meat. Never noticed an effect on all of the meat from a cookie bite, though. Not that I noticed, at least and neither did my crew.

Dolphin roe, like most other roe's, is real good eatin' stuff! Dust 'em with bread crumbs or flour and sautee 'em in butter...very, very good! Also the milt sacs from big bull dolphin cook up (quick boiled or lightly steamed) are delicious. We dipped them in Ponzu sauce with finely chopped green onions. This kind of stuff isn't for everybody, but it sure is good.